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Who was Jean Le Boeuf? 40 years later, we catch up with the original JLB

Jean Le Boeuf, the pseudonym used by Naples and Fort Myers restaurant critics, debuted 40 years ago this month. We found JLB's creator and asked him what his secret life taught him.

In December 1979, Bob and Debbie Morris were newlyweds. They had just finished a meal at an undisclosed restaurant somewhere in Southwest Florida.

Bob nodded at his wife. Debbie discretely glanced around, then slipped a menu into her purse.

How had this couple fallen into this life of petty crime? Work. Bob Morris was the food critic for for The News-Press. He created the Jean Le Boeuf pseudonym and wrote under it for almost two years. In a time long before iPhones and Google, those menus were his bread and butter. Four decades later, for a very different Jean Le Boeuf, they still are.

The JLB brand is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month.

“Oh my God that makes me feel old,” Morris said.

Bob Morris originated the pseudonym Jean Le Boeuf for the Fort Myers News-Press in 1979. Now he runs Story Farm, a company that has published more than 50 cookbooks.(Photo: Bob Morris)

He learned a lot of lessons during his two years as the notorious JLB.

Morris was the creator and first graduate of what could be called JLB University. He learned the art of food criticism on the fly.

“What it really taught me about was that my poor wife had to steal menus out of restaurants," Morris said.

When asked if he had any experience in food before his foray as a critic, Morris laughed.

“Of course, I ate!”

“If I was dropped in the world of restaurant critics today, I would not have nearly enough background to do it," Morris said.

Morris said he always liked to cook and traveled widely, calling himself an enthusiastic eater and home chef. He had never cooked professionally. But that didn't stop him from leaping at the chance to be an undercover restaurant critic.

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9. Dorona: There's something poetic, I think, about the fact that Dorona sits where a TGI Fridays once operated for many years. The two could not be more different. They come from different planets. A different galaxy all together. Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News,

10. Namba Ramen & Sushi: While so many of the other Asian restaurants in town hand you a 40-page fusion menu of Japanese, Chinese, Thai and Korean, Namba is simplifying it down to really good ramen and really good sushi, and not much else. Dorothy Edwards/Naples Daily News

8. The Continental: Sitting at the bar of this chic, bougainvillea-laced patio you could be anywhere: a villa in Milan, say, maybe an exclusive resort in Nice. A bartender comes over with such gracious warmth it makes you wonder if you've met before.

7. Bha! Bha! Persian Bistro: For 22 years I've been tantalized by the Persian flavors of Bha! Bha! In the fall I went back to check in on the place, to see if my memory was still serving me correctly. Oh, it was. Special to the Naples Daily News

4. Campiello Ristorante & Bar: Campiello is classically Naples. It's the place I take out-of-town visitors to introduce them to this high-brow town that I love so dearly. Special to the Naples Daily News

2. 21 Spices: Now's the time to dine at 21 Spices. Chef-owner Asif Syed is at the top of his game after beating celebrity chef Bobby Flay last year with a fiery-red tandoori chicken on Food Network's "Beat Bobby Flay." Fame aside, Syed is a master of flavor and technique. Nicole Raucheisen/Naples Daily News

Honorable mention: 7th Avenue Social. This unique restaurant is something of a conundrum. It has the feel of a hipster coffee shop but the menu of a seasonal, chef-driven kitchen. Special to The News-Press

Honorable mention: Jimmy P's Charred. When the area's best butcher shop opened an adjoining steakhouse, I took notice. Jimmy P's has long had a reputation for sourcing top-notch steaks from around the world. Charred is no different. Michael Caronchi/Caronchi Photography

Honorable mention: LowBrow Pizza & Beer. This isn't a white-table-cloth, make-a-reservation-days-in-advance kind of restaurant like so many of the others on this list. In fact, LowBrow is the opposite. Special to the Naples Daily News

Honorable mention: Truluck's Seafood Steak & Crab House. I've never been privy to a membership at an exclusive country club, but I have been privy to a few stunning meals at Truluck's and I imagine that's close to the same thing. Greg Kahn/Naples Daily News

Honorable mention: USS Nemo. It may sound like a kitschy, Disney-style theme joint but USS Nemo is anything but. For 19 years this place has created some of the freshest takes on seafood of any restaurant in Southwest Florida. Courtesy USS Nemo

Morris wrote four columns a week on top of his JLB reviews. There's a lot of process that goes into creating an article. From interviewing to scheduling to writing and transcribing, there is an ever-steady, ominous drumbeat moving everything along: the deadline.

Carry the experience with you

Today, Morris runs Story Farm, an independent book publishing company. Morris and his company have published more than 50 cookbooks, including one for Sea Salt on Third Avenue South in downtown Naples.

He and his wife still discretely take notes when they're out at restaurants, but with a different purpose.

“We say, 'Would this restaurant make for a good cookbook?'" he said.

"Now I’m seeking out potential clients.”

Morris said his two sons have carried on a love of food and are excellent home cooks.

"We live pretty food-centric lives," he said. "If we’re eating one meal, we’re already talking about what the next one will be like.”

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Looking for deliciously cheap eats in Cape Coral? Stick with me. I've got plenty, like this rave-worthy quesadilla from Tacos San Miguel II, where almost the whole menu is priced well under $10. Special to The News-Press

Pete's Fish & Chips offers a traditional Manchester chippy experience, from Manchester native/owner Pete Rushton. This little place is as quaint as it is delicious, with $6.95 fish sandwiches and baskets that start at $9.99. The News-Press file photo

The arepa Santa Barbara ($8.50) with beef, onions and avocado from Dona Arepa y Don Ceviche in Cape Coral. This wonderful Venezuelan restaurant also makes cachapas from a sweet-corn dough packed with savory fillings. Special to The News-Press

In this photo from 2016 Won Cho, a hibachi chef at Yummy Yummy in north Cape Coral, prepares lunch entrees for customers. The hibachi grill and sushi bar keeps its prices low and its dining room busy. Ricardo Rolon / The News-Press

A slice and a pepperoni roll from Don Anthony's Pizza on Pine Island Road in Cape Coral. I'm not saying this is the best pizza, but man it's good. And as a bonus, these two items and a bottle of water cost less than $4. What a world. Special to The News-Press

The Cuban sandwich, packed with house-roasted pork and served on house-baked Cuban bread, from Casa Rojas Cuban Bakery in north Cape Coral is a steal at around $7 -- as is the rest of this tropical menu. The News-Press file photo

The Combo, an Italian sausage topped with Italian beef, from The Chicago Beef Guy in Cape Coral. Not everything on this menu is under $10, but almost everything can be. And seriously, EVERYTHING is so, so good. Special to The News-Press